This year we put everything we had into exposing the lies and cruelty of the RSPCA. The cost of this massive exposé was approximately £150,000. Because of its press-sensitive nature we have not been able to fundraise until now. We urgently need your support to help us keep our heads above the water so we can keep doing our vital work.
FROM THE EXPERTS
CHRIS PACKHAM
RSPCA President
“I’m asking the RSPCA to shut down and review the RSPCA Assured scheme. It’s clearly not implementing a standard of welfare which is acceptable in the UK in the 21st century.”
Naturalist and television presenter Chris Packham has threatened to resign as President of the RSPCA due to concerns over salmon welfare at Scottish fish farms. After watching the investigation footage, Chris Packham has called the RSPCA Assured scheme "utterly indefensible".
"I found [the footage] extraordinarily difficult to watch. I felt sick, frankly. Animal suffering is animal suffering no matter where it is, but when it's happening in your own backyard - when we should be in a position to guard against it - it hurts more."
GEORGE MONBIOT
Journalist, The Guardian
How Britain’s oldest animal welfare charity became a byword for cruelty on an industrial scale
As it celebrates its 200th birthday, the RSPCA has lost its way - and is helping endorse indefensible abuse in factory farms… This is the conclusion of the deepest and most wide-ranging report yet conducted into something called RSPCA Assured. When I asked the RSPCA about the new report, it told me it is looking into the allegations. It claimed that: “If we stepped back from RSPCA Assured, we risk leaving millions of farmed animals with even less protection.”
I believe that’s the opposite of the truth. Animal Rising, correctly in my view, describes the Assured scheme as “a marketing arm of the intensive animal agriculture industry”.The RSPCA’s advertisements show animals leading blissful outdoor lives, while being cuddled and petted by the farmer. It invites primary schoolchildren to “thank a farmer” for raising pigs for slaughter. What is this, if not promoting the meat industry? I see the RSPCA as normalising and legitimising animal suffering on an industrial scale.
AYESHA SMART
Specialist barrister in animal welfare law and Crown Court judge
"Some of these RSPCA Assured farms do not even comply with basic legal requirements even though they hold themselves out to the public as being a ‘higher welfare’ supplier. This is effectively fraud [...]."
Dr ALICE BROUGH
Ex-commercial pig vet with extensive experience on RSPCA farms
"In my opinion, to refer to RSPCA Assured pigs as 'high welfare' is extremely misleading. For the RSPCA to be involved in such cruel industrial exploitation of animals is deeply disappointing given their outward, honourable intention to prevent cruelty to animals. In short, the pig industry and the RSPCA are failing to provide anything close to a life worth living for pigs."
Professor ANDREW KNIGHT
Veterinary Professor of Animal
Welfare and author
"Many of these birds suffer severely. All crowded into these barren sheds, with minimal opportunities to exercise highly motivated natural behaviours such as foraging and exploring within a naturalistic environment, and dust-bathing, experience chronic stress.
These birds are highly sentient, and such treatment of them is not ethical."
MARK BORTHWICK
Doctoral fellow studying behaviour and behaviour change on salmon farms
"This suffering is not caused by a single lapse in standards and practice, but rather, a farming system that is fundamentally not fit for purpose. I question the factual basis on which the RSPCA is certifying these animals, as the RSPCA's own standards are not being met, and these animals are clearly being kept in cruel conditions."
